May 27, 2011 4:20 pm

Boeing will begin testing in July its new 787 Dreamliner in conditions that mimic the conditions it will encounter in real airline service.

The second 787 test aircraft, ZA002, will begin operating between several Japanese airports the week of July 4 on airline-style schedules, but without passengers. The flying will test the plane’s reliability in airline service and the ability of All Nippon Airways personnel to deal with maintenance and operational issue for the new plane.

ANA is the lead customer for the 787, a long-range twin-engine aircraft expected to be delivered to the Japanese carrier in September.

That delivery will be more than three years later than Boeing had promised. The first plane originally was set to be delivered to ANA in May 2008.